Electronic switching devices are needed for large area matrix applications such as displays, particularly liquid crystal displays. These devices are utilized to switch on and off the individual elements (pixels) of the display and to address these individual pixel switches. Thin film transistors are desired for both of these applications.
Great difficulty has been experienced utilizing presently known semiconductors in such thin film devices. It is therefore highly desirable that other, or more easily fabricated and utilized semiconductors be provided for these applications.
The above-identified co-pending applications disclose a new class of semiconductors, namely high pnictide polypnictide semiconductors having the formula MP.sub.x, where M is an alkali metal, P is one or more pnictides, and x ranges from 15 to infinity.
We have disclosed in our above-identified co-pending application, Ser. No. 509,175, filed June 29, 1983, and entitled SPUTTERED SEMICONDUCTING FILMS OF CATENATED PHOSPHORUS MATERIAL AND DEVICES FORMED THEREFROM that such polyphosphide semiconductors may be deposited as amorphous thin films to form electronic devices. More recently it has been suggested that a Group V (pnictide) containing dielectric (P.sub.3 N.sub.5) be utilized to prevent loss of the volatile Group V element from III-V semiconductors and to be used as the I layer deposited thereon. (Y. Hirota and T. Kobayaski, J. Appl. Phys. 53, 5037 (1982)).